Jessie Novak is a busy ER nurse. As if her time isn't already at a premium, she joins the Homicide unit in the Boston Police Department as a forensic nurse. Jessie will be working along with Sam Dallas, a close friend, and perhaps soon to be more. With one of Jessie's workmates at the hospital is discovered to be missing, it is disturbingly shocking to discover that she was a murder victim, found frozen in a river near the ocean.
The body belongs to Sheila Logan, identified at the autopsy Jessie attends as part of her new job. Jessie's job does not entail being a homicide detective, but she does whatever she can to try to determine why Sheila was killed and who could be responsible. Sheila did not have a good reputation. In fact, she was not well liked, by Jessie and others. But, professional to the core, Jessie puts those feelings aside to try to unravel the pieces to what proves to be a complicated case.
Rumors were already floating about that Sheila was having an affair with a colleague at the hospital, but even more, she very well might have been pregnant. While Jessie is searching for clues, she has a major distraction. Abandoned by her mother while very young, a woman approaches Jessie saying that she is her mother. Jessie wonders how much she can trust the stranger that knows some details about her early life, but trust is far from her reach.
When another murder occurs, Jessie and Sam cannot help but wonder if the cases are connected, especially when their appears to be a similar clue with the new body. Meanwhile, the closer Jessie gets, the more dangerous things get for her. There was a character right from the start that I did not trust, so it was interesting to see whether or not I was on the right track.
I am enjoying Jessie and her take on things as she proves to be quite adept as a detective. We first met Jessie in Dead Girl Walking, the first book in this engaging series. As a resident in a small town near Boston, I loved reading about familiar locations as the story progressed. I am eager to read more in this exciting series.
Many thanks to Bookouture and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.